Page 53 of As the World Falls

He gives me a look of offense, his scowl deepening. “I don’t misplace things.”

I sigh, at a complete loss. That ledger kept track of all the sales I made outside of this business. It was a means to keep track of my money flow, and I had to work hard to keep it hidden and maintained. It could be my complete demise.

“I’m disappointed in you,” I find myself saying to him, although the words taste bitter, leaving my mouth. I never wanted to speak to him this way, but this wasn’t something to be taken lightly. My life was on the line, and I trusted him with it. He nods like he expected this kind of response. I could see he was disappointed with himself, and it made this situation feel even worse. “You better pray you find it. In the meantime, you know the protocol.”

“I’ve already canceled all upcoming private meetings and shipments going out. Everything is at a complete stop right now.”

I nod. “Good. When do you remember last having it?”

“The day of the launch party. I made sure I had it after leaving the airport earlier that morning.”

“Call any driving services you used and check the security camera from the party that night. I don’t want any stone left unturned.”

“I’m on it,” he says, rising from his chair and heading toward the door. I let him leave without another word. I didn’t have anything else to say to him. Frankly, I was pissed off. I expected more out of him, but maybe I overestimated his capability.

I was just so fucking tired. The anxiety of my missing ledger only added to my increased stress, exhausting me even more.

I look back to my computer, pulling up the internet browser and clicking on my most repeated search history—The map of directions to London, England, from Boston, Massachusetts.My eyes repeatedly scour the routes, burning them into the ingrained passages in my brain. I memorized it all for the millionth time it felt, letting the familiarity relax me as I got lost in it.

Chapter Seventeen

Cecilia

I was fighting for my life, trying to keep my eyes open. James brought me along for yet another meeting with the design team I’ve been working closely with lately. It seemed as though whenever James needed a break from me, he would pawn me off to the design department. I was pretty much already caught up with everything they were pitching today, hence why I’m so out of my mind bored that it was making my drowsiness start to take over and shut me down completely.

Working for James has been wreaking havoc on my sleep schedule. I was not this early of a riser, and being here was starting to take its toll on me.

My head lulls to the side for the hundredth time, and its jarring weight awakens me for a moment. I lift my head quickly, trying to remain present. As I do, though, my gaze connects with James across the room, and he doesn’t look happy with me.

Someone was attempting to speak to him, trying to show him something in one of their portfolios, but his attention was entirely on me as he ignored them. “Are we boring you?” he bites out, causing the rest of the room to fall silent.

I sigh. I’m too tired to deal with his mood swings today. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just a little tired.”

“Perhaps you should go to sleep at a more decent time,” he challenges.

“Perhaps I should, shouldn’t I?” I snap back, becoming crankier by the second.

He purses his lips together, looking back to the person initially speaking to him, ignoring me altogether now. I wish he’d always ignore me. That way, I didn’t feel so worked up. His antics and all-around mind games are probably what’s exhausting me the most around here. He made me feel…I don’t know. I think that’s just it. He made mefeel.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, rumbling loudly through the wooden chair I'm sitting on. Everyone glances at me momentarily before returning to their work. I reach into my pocket and pull my phone out, seeing it was Lance. I silence the call and set it on my lap, facing the meeting again.

My phone vibrates again, and I silence it once more. This time, when I look back up, I see James glaring at me before he turns away again.

Jeez, something has him in a mood today.

My phone vibrates again, and I actually growl in annoyance, looking down to see it’s Lance once again. Was something wrong at the library? Maybe that’s why he was being so relentless.

“Take your call outside,” James barks out, startling me. I look up, seeing his cold stare at me. “You’ve been enough of a disruption today,” he adds. My cheeks flame at his public reprimand, but I stand and leave anyway, deciding he wasn’t worth arguing with. I was just so tired.

I shut the door behind me, and once I’m in the hall, I dial Lance’s number, who answers on the first ring.

“Jesus, Lia. What is going on? I thought something happened to you,” his voice breaks through the phone.

“To me? I thought something happened to you. Is there a reason you’re blowing my phone up the way you are?”

“I haven’t heard from you in four days,” he says obviously.

“It has not been that long.” Has it been that long? Now that I think about it, I can’t recall our last conversation.

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